


Rei Trevelyan: Circle Mage

by Willowflower_Waterlily



Series: Marie Hawke and Rei Trevelyan [2]
Category: Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, post-canon (DA II), pre-canon (DA:I)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-25
Updated: 2015-03-26
Packaged: 2018-03-19 15:54:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 4,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3615675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowflower_Waterlily/pseuds/Willowflower_Waterlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rei's life in the circle before the events of DA:I.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Their Love (And the Templars that witnessed it)

Rei fell in love with Bren at first sight, and when she got to know him, she knew she was in trouble. His smile would warm her heart, and his sense of humor would make her laugh when not even her sisters could. They would try to find reasons to be together, though they tried to not be anything more than friends for a long time. Both knew the consequences of falling in love as mages in a circle tower, though it was more treacherous in this circle tower. The number of tranquil made it abundantly clear.

 

But they couldn't help themselves. Rei and Bren would sneak kisses behind the stacks when they didn't think anyone was watching. (they were) The Knight-Commander was kept well informed in this circle. That is not to say that the Templars didn't watch first, as the young couple quickly made love in dark corridors, their voyeurism remembered for use at a later time. It came to an end, however, when it was found out that Rei had been with child. Knight-Commander Samuel threw them both in solitary for a year, to soften them up before the real punishment.


	2. The Baby

After hours of pain, and blood, Rei delivered her baby. A kindly Chantry mother was there to act as mid-wife. The Chantry mother cleaned up both Rei and the baby, but before she knocked on the door to give the baby away, she let Rei see and touch her.

"What would you name her?" The Chantry mother asked in whisper. Rei stared at her perfect baby girl, with her father's dark hair and light eyes. 

"Brena." She breathed, as she gently caressed her daughter's cheek with her finger, tears rolling down her cheeks. The woman nodded, and gave her an apologetic look before she took Brena away again. The Chantry mother knocked on the door, and a Templar cloaked in shadow answered, the two mumbled before the Templar took Brena, and the woman disappeared, closing the door. Through the pain, in both heart and body, Rei chanted the Canticle of Trials, until she fell asleep, the words fading as she drifted off.


	3. The Punishment

After a year was up, both Rei and Bren were brought out for their punishments. They saw the Templars were openly joyful at what was to happen to them. Rei heard one mumble to the other about her being noble, so they can't do everything they want to. She feared for Bren as she heard him speak. Both were force fed magebane, so they were defenseless against their jailers. The Knight-Captain took out a coin and tossed it. He looked down to see the results and nodded in her direction. They took Rei to the post and tied her to it. She heard the Knight-Commander call for the whip, and the snap of the whip as he warmed up his arm. Bren cried and screamed, begging him not to do it. "You're next lover boy, now watch." Knight-Commander Samuel sneered at Bren as he approached Rei. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head back, so he could whisper in her ear. "You will suffer, noble or not, but know this, what we are going to do to him will be what we wanted to do to you. We may still, your parents being noble will only protect you for so long." 

 

Samuel paced behind Rei, to make her sweat before he went to work. He used a swift motion for the first stroke, and heard her gasp, but not scream. Disappointed, he did the second, and continued to the tenth stroke, bitter that he could not get her to cry out. Her lover on the other hand was screaming enough for the both of them, so that would have to do. He motioned for some one to cut her down, her back raw and bleeding, but no one was to heal her. Two Templars turned her so she could witness what was to happen to Bren.

 

Templars circled him, punching and kicking him as Rei screamed for them to stop, but this only egged them on. When they were finished, he was covered in bruises and cuts. They tied him to a post behind him, and they started to chant. "NO! NO! Please Maker NO!" Rei screamed as she saw the Knight-Commander holding the brand. 

"Please! No! Kill me! Please! Anything but being made tranquil." The Templars not performing the rite laughed as both sobbed. At the end of the rite, Samuel pressed the brand onto the center of Bren's forehead and the mage's sobbing stopped. The new tranquil looked around and at Rei as she sobbed, her back still bleeding. 

"I'm so sorry." Rei wailed as she was dragged back down to solitary.


	4. Solitary: Year Two

In her second year, the Templars had Bren take meals to Rei. He would walk in with her meal and stand there as she ate, trying to talk to her. Rei knew better, she knew whatever she said would be told to the Templars, so she remained quiet or prayed. A Templar came in with her meal one night, and she knew it couldn't be good. "Your sister, was the Knight-Commander's toy." He taunted as she ate. "Until she got with child. Once she's given birth, she'll be sent to Kirkwall, and if you think it's bad here, it's worse there." The bastard chuckled and grinned as he watched her finish eating. Not rising to the bait, she handed him her dish, and sat on her cot.

"Maker, though the darkness comes upon me, I shall embrace the light. I shall weather the storm. I shall endure." Rei chanted after the Templar left. "What you have created, no one can tear asunder."

 

Throughout her year in solitary, the Templars regularly took her out to flog her, citing several reasons, chief among them was to make sure she hadn't become an abomination. Each time she was returned to her cell, her back was opened and bloodied, scars formed over scars. And each time she would chant the verses of the Canticle of Trials, hoping that the Maker would hear her, and end her suffering. When the year was up, a Templar came for her, and taunted her with how her sister was made tranquil in Kirkwall, and was probably forced to service many Templars by now. Rei forced herself to keep her face neutral of all expression, and the Templar sneered at her. "We will make you break someday, I promise you this." He growled as he shoved her into her room.


	5. The Nightly Chant

In the months that followed Rei's release from solitary, the other mages, and apprentices quickly learned that if they stepped so much as a toe out of line, both the mage in question and Rei would get flogged. And while they all tried to just keep their heads down and toe the line, the Templars would find excuses to do whatever they wanted to them and especially to her.

  
Rei stayed in her room when she was not teaching the children or eating. The Templars placed Bren in her room to be her roommate. Each night, she would kneel before her bed and chant. "Blessed are they who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter. Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just. Blessed are the righteous, the lights in the shadow. In their blood the Maker's will is written."

"Why do you select Benedictions four to chant every night?" Bren asked in his painful monotone. Rei closed her eyes, and tried to block out memories of how beautiful his voice sounded.

"Maker, though the darkness comes upon me, I shall embrace the light. I shall weather the storm. I shall endure. What you have created, no one can tear asunder." Rei chanted, ignoring the shell that used to be her love. "Though all before me is shadow, yet shall the Maker be my guide. I shall not be left to wander the drifting roads of the Beyond. For there is no darkness in the Maker's Light, and nothing that He has wrought shall be lost." As she would climb into bed night after night, she would close her eyes and try to block him out. But even then she could still hear his breathing, feel his vacant stare, and she grew angrier and angrier. Rei took the pain she felt, that those bastards forced upon her and turned it into her rage, her strength. _They will not break me_ , she thought to herself each night as she fell asleep.


	6. The Fall of the Circle of Ostwick

Another mage came to her, in the shape of a mouse. When she transformed back into her original shape, she looked frightened. "They plan to annul the circle tonight, because of what happened in Kirkwall." the mage whispered into her ear, covering her mouth so that Bren could not read her lips. Rei nodded, and motioned for her to follow. Luckily, Bren did not. Once in a classroom, they planned how to save as many mages as possible, by gathering them all in the most defensible room. Throughout the day, they gathered the children and those not yet harrowed into the room. As night fell mages and enchanters milled about in front of the room, and the tension was thick. The Templars approached, their weapons in hand, grins on their lips. Rei stands out in front of her fellows and chants. "Draw your last breath, my friends, cross the Veil and the Fade and all the stars in the sky. Rest at the Maker's right hand, and be Forgiven."

"You dare to chant Trials at me girl." One Templar snarled at her, before they charged. Mages landed lightening spells, stunning them, while Mina and some others cast ice. Rei felt fire surround her and had visions of a dry red place as she channeled her inner flame. She slammed her staff to the ground and several Templars screamed and collapsed. There was death on both sides as mages fell to Templar blades, when all was said and done, only five remained to protect the children and unharrowed from the Templars that might still remain in their path. 

"Someone go collect the tranquil, we can't leave them behind." Rei said as she checked her sister over for damage.

"I'm fine, sister." Mara said, as she pulled her sister into an embrace. The two mages that went to get the tranquil returned, and Rei stared at Bren sadly. 

"I'm so sorry." She whispered so low that only he could hear. Bren shook his head slightly, but said nothing. As they made their way to the entrance of the tower, unharrowed and tranquil were getting picked off left and right as Rei and the other four mages fought. When they reached the last corridor, they had only the twenty-five children and Bren remaining. Rei would see the tower fall upon her before she would let those children die. She stayed behind, with her sister to stop any of the few Templars from getting to the children. 

"They're out sister," Mara said, "let's move." They ran down the corridor, Rei in front of Mara, and as she reached the door, she turned and screamed. The Knight-Commander drove his sword through Mara's chest. Her eyes bulged as blood leaked from her mouth. Slowly, she fell as Samuel kicked her off of his blade and smirked at Rei. 

"You will pay." Rei said, feeling her soul be consumed by fire, her rage. She pointed her staff and hand at him and the fire that filled her very being flowed through them and into him. He screamed in agony as he roasted in his armor, before he fell beside her sister. Rei ran to Mara's body and cradled her in her arms. "I'm so sorry, my dear sister." She said, trying to push back the tears as she rocked Mara in her arms.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt," an unfamiliar female voice said behind her, "but we must move quickly, if we are to keep the children safe."


	7. Saying Goodbye

"Who are the two of you and why are you helping us?" Rei asked, suspicious of their new supposed allies. They both held their hands out and summoned wisps. This relaxed Rei some, but she still wondered why they would help.

"My name is Hawke, and this is Anders." Hawke said, as she gestured at the blonde man beside her. "We've been helping mage towers throughout the Free Marches, and this one was next, but it seems like you've already liberated yourselves." She shrugged at Rei.

"My name is Rei, and we need to guide this children to safety, but we don't know where we should go."

"Ferelden has been taking mages in." Anders said quietly. "They've been gathering in Redcliffe, we can help you get there." Rei glanced at the other mages and they nodded in unison.

"All right, lead the way." Rei replied. 

 

After a day of travelling, they found an easily defensible cave not far from an abandoned dock on the Waking Sea. After the children were fed, and settled down for the night, Rei wandered away from the cave for some air. "You should not wander alone." Bren said, as he followed. Rei brushed away a loose tear and turned to face him.

"I am so sorry, my love." She whispered, cupping his cheek in her hand. "This is all my fault."

"No." He replied in his calm monotone. "I seem to recall not turning you away. I think if I could feel I would try to reassure you. When I could feel, I know that I said I love you." Rei's chin slightly quivered as he spoke.

"You told me as often as you could." She said, trying to force herself to stay calm. Rei wrapped her arms around him, and he stood there as she whispered in his ear, "we had a daughter, love. I named her after you." A cough startled her, and she turned to see that she had gained an audience of two.

"Who was he?" Hawke asked softly, "to you?" Rei looked down at her feet, gathering the strength to answer.

"I was her love." Bren answered for her, "And I remember her being mine." Rei looked up and stepped back when she saw Anders's eyes glowing blue. An unearthly voice growled about the injustice of what happened. "Rei." Bren said, in his normal, not tranquil voice. "My love. I don't know how this happened, but it feels like it won't last. I love you. Please don't make me live as a tranquil." He leaned against her, and begged. 

"I won't my love." Rei said, tears rolling down her cheeks, ignored. She wraps her arms around him, and feels his around her, and they kiss, for the last time. Breaking their embrace, she holds her hand out, asking for a dagger. Hawke delicately placed one in her hand. Bren wiped the tears from her eyes, and kissed her forehead. "I am so sorry my love."

"As am I, my love." He whispered as they held the dagger against his chest, and pushed it in. Bren died instantly as the dagger pierced his heart, and Anders caught Bren, gently laying him on the ground. Rei knelt beside his body, and looked up at Anders and Hawke.

"Will you help me say goodbye?" She asked as the other three mages wandered out of the cave to see what had happened.

"Of course." Hawke replied, as she held her hand out to Rei to help her up.


	8. Chapter 8

The following day, Hawke and Anders led Rei, the other mages, and the children to the abandoned dock. At the dock was a large ship, and a woman striding across the plank to greet them. "Managed to save some then?" The woman asked, looking the group over. "And aw... Children, I could just pinch all those cute chubby cheeks." 

"Isabela, we need to get these mages to Redcliffe without being seen." Hawke said as the mages started to board the ship. "I was thinking somewhere along the north part of Ferelden, and cut through the Hinterlands." Isabela nodded, and looked to be thinking it over.

"There's an old dock directly to the north of Redcliffe, I think that would work. Only smugglers use it now, and it's been awhile since I've seen anyone in that area." Isabela said, waving Hawke, Anders, and Rei aboard.

 

Rei and the other mages made sure that the children didn't get in the way as the trip began. The children were so excited, a real adventure some of the said, laughing. Rei stood at the side of the ship looking out at the Free Marches as the began to disappear.

"Rei." Hawke said, walking up to her. "Would you like a change of clothing? You look like you're about my size."

"These are fine." Rei said absent mindedly.

"True enough." Hawke replied, "Though your robes are covered in blood, I thought you might want something that isn't." It was only then that Rei looked down at what she was wearing, and the day before flashed through her mind. 

"I think you're probably right." Rei said after a while, and Hawke gently put her arm around Rei's shoulders and led her to Hawke's room. When they arrived Hawke went through a trunk and pulled out a pair of breeches and a button down top.  
"These aught to fit you." Hawke said, and Rei nodded before pulling her bloody circle robes over her head. As Rei turned from Hawke to set her clothing down, Hawke gasped at her back. "What did they do to you?" She asked, delicately touching the scars that criss-crossed Rei's back.

"They whipped me. Often." Rei replied quietly. "They wanted to break me, so that they would have an excuse to make me tranquil, like Bren." Rei reached for the breeches and pulled them on as Anders walked into the room. He did a double take upon seeing Rei's back, and hoped that she hadn't noticed. Anders and Hawke exchanged a look and Anders nodded in reply.

"Stay with us, in our cabin." Hawke said, and Rei shook her head. 

"I should stay with the children." Rei replied. "They need to know I'm still safe, they've been through so much."

"As have you." Hawke said. "Please, let us take care of you, we want to."

"Why?" Rei asked, confused. "You only just met me yesterday."

"And in that time, we found you clutching your sister, and helped you lay your love to rest." Anders said softly. "You've been through so much, more than we know." He traced the scars in his back with his finger tips.

"I know what it's like to lose those you love." Hawke added, "my sister died during the blight, and my mother was killed by a blood mage." Hawke wrapped her arms around Rei, and held her as she spoke. "Please let us take care of you." 

"All right." Rei said, as she finished getting dressed. "I'll just let the other mages know where I'll be staying.

 

Later that night, Rei returned to Hawke and Anders's room. "Where will I be sleeping?" She asked, eyeing the bunks bolted into the ground. Anders pointed to the lower one.

"You and Marie will be sharing that bunk, and I'll take the top one." Anders replied.

"Marie?" Rei said, looking puzzled.

"Hawke's given name." Anders said, and Rei gave him a look of understanding. "Hawke will be back later, she and Isabela usually stay up late talking and playing cards whenever they can get together." He said, answering an unspoken question. Rei nodded, and stripped to her smalls and breast band, before climbing under the covers to get some sleep.


	9. To Redcliffe

The rest of the trip across the Waking Sea was most like uneventful. The children got bored about half way through the trip, and Rei thought of ways she and her fellow mages could help them stay entertained. One night, they let the children stay up late so that they could lay down under the stars. Amber, the frost mage pointed out all the constallations and told the children stories. Each day, the children were taught lessons by the four of them, and sometimes either Marie and or Anders would join them to teach them about healing magic. By the time they reached the dock in Ferelden, half of the children wanted to stay aboard the ship, and a couple had to be carried off.

 

Once in Ferelden, the six mages made sure to keep an extra close watch on the children. There had been reports that rebel mages and Templars were attacking anyone on sight. As they passed through the Hinterlands, a few days into being in Ferelden, the group witnessed firsthand the destruction that the war had created. Anders looked around in dispair, guilt etched into his very soul. Marie placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and Rei watched as they came to terms with what had happened to their homeland.

"This is all my fault, Marie." Anders whispered, his eyes gleamed with unshed tears.

"It was our fault, my love." Marie said, tears rolling down her cheeks. Rei walked up to them and held one then the other.

"This war would have started one way or another." Rei said as she looked around. "I'm sure what you did in Kirkwall was not the only act that led to this." Rei reached a hand behind her and gingerly touched her back, wincing at the memories.

"You're right." Marie said, quietly, "I just wish we could have done something to save more lives." The three walk silently as they keep an eye on everyone else with them. As they approached Redcliffe, they saw other mages walking around by the gate. One of them came up to them.

"What circle are you from?" The woman asked.

"Ostwick." Rei replied. 

"Are there anymore from Ostwick?" She asked, sounding hopeful. Rei shook her head, and looked down for a moment, gathering herself.

"No, we are the only ones who made it." The woman nodded in understanding, and went into Redcliffe to let the Grand Enchanter know that more mages had arrived. Rei turned to Anders and Marie. "Where are you going to go now?" She asked.

"The Ferelden circle tower, to see if the mages there need help, but we're unsure where from there." Anders said. 

"Thank you. Both of you, for all that you have done for us." Rei said before Anders and Marie took their leave, heading for Lake Calenhad.


	10. I Volunteer

When word of the conclave reached Redcliffe, Fiona brought together representatives from each circle to decide who would go. Rei was among the first to offer to go. "My family name might hold weight there, they've worked with the Chantry for years. Maybe it could help us."

"Very well." Fiona said. After a couple of hours of discussions, the twenty mages were picked to go to Haven. "The trip takes a couple of days, and the conclave is in a week." Fiona said at the end of the meeting.

 

Rei went to the other mages from Ostwick and told them the plan, she would go on behalf of their circle, and they would stay behind with the children. Two of them nodded, but Amber had wanted to go. "I don't understand why you should be the sole representative of our circle." She groused. "We four made it out, at least one more of us should go."

"It is not my call." Rei replied firmly. "Fiona is the one who organized who should go. My family name is what got me in, and besides if you really wanted to go, the meeting was not closed. I volunteered." Amber gave her a sour look, and Rei sighed. "I have a bad feeling about this." She admitted, "and it would give me piece of mind that the children will be safe here with the three of you. We've already lost so many people, I just don't want to lose more, if this goes sour."

"All right." Amber said, sighing. "Just, be safe. We don't want to lose you either."


	11. Haven and the Conclave

Rei and the other mages reached Haven a day before the conclave was to be held. Rei wandered around the small village, talking to the locals, and getting familiar with local customs. The morning on the day of the meeting, Rei walked toward the Chantry to pray that the conclave brought peace. As she was walking up the steps a man was walking in her direction. A tall man with blonde hair, and golden brown eyes, wearing furry pouldrons. As they passed one another, they both briefly stopped and glanced at the other, eyes meeting. Rei frowned at the man, and continued on her way. 

 

At the conclave itself, people were waiting around both inside and out around the building, eyeing the other side wearily. The Divine had yet to appear, and no one knew why. Rei decided that she wanted to go explore the temple before the meeting started, pretending that she was the Hero of Ferelden. She walked along a corridor in the basement of the building before hearing some one call for help. Rei raced to the door she heard the voice coming from and burst through the doors. "What's going on here?" She exclaimed. The room was filled with Grey Wardens, and a shadowy figure was standing in front of the Divine. 

"Run while you can!" Most Holy called out to her. "Warn them!" The shadowy figure turned it's gaze onto her and ordered the Wardens to kill her. In facing Rei, it distracted the figure from Most Holy who knocked the orb out of his hand, and Rei reached out for it. When it landed in her hand, an intense pain went through her hand and the room went black.


End file.
